Juventus Vs. Cagliari Prediction: Coppa Italia Becomes Hope Amid The Old Lady's Crisis

JAKARTA Juventus are again facing heavy pressure amid the disappointing Serie A season, but they have the opportunity to reverse the situation against Cagliari in the Coppa Italia last 16 match at the Allianz Stadium, Tuesday night 17 December. After a series of bad results in the league, "The Old Lady" is now focusing on the cup competition to find ways to win trophies this season.

Meanwhile, Cagliari came with enthusiasm as the underdog team, hoping to prolong Juventus' suffering and score a surprise to advance to the quarter-finals.

Juventus' performance throughout Serie A this season has been very disappointing. With four consecutive draws, including 2-2 against Venezia who is the caretaker of the standings, Thiago Motta's side are now in danger of losing their place at the top of the league. Despite being unbeaten in 16 Serie A matches, Juventus have only recorded six wins.

The last time Juventus started a bad season like this at home was in 1988, when they only won three of the first nine games in Turin. A draw against Venezia last week was the pinnacle of fan disappointment, with most supporters at Allianz Stadium showing their dissatisfaction with the whistle at the final whistle.

However, in Europe, Juventus' performance was slightly better. An important 2-0 win over Manchester City in the Champions League league phase last week brought them closer to the top eight, providing a glimmer of hope for a challenging season.

Now, with Scudetto's chances seem increasingly difficult, the Coppa Italia is a realistic target for Juventus to secure trophies. Last year, they managed to beat Atalanta in the Coppa Italia final, although their league season was also far from satisfactory.

On the other hand, Cagliari came to this game with high motivation after successfully passing the early two rounds of the Coppa Italia. Davide Nicola's team previously got rid of Carrarese and Cremonese to reach the last 16.

However, in Serie A, Cagliari's journey is no better than Juventus. This Sardinia team is just above the relegation zone and is involved in fierce competition with other lower-end teams to stay in the league.

Atalanta's narrow 1-0 defeat last weekend is proof that they are still struggling to score against the big team. However, Cagliari showed fierce resistance by creating a number of chances, including through Yerry Mina and Leonardo Pavoletti who almost scored in stoppage time.

Despite facing Juventus in Turin is a tough task, Davide Nicola hopes that the player's careful rotation and high fighting spirit from his team can bring a surprise to the Coppa Italia. Moreover, if they manage to win, Cagliari will face Empoli in the quarter-finals, with a greater chance of progressing further.

Juventus coach Thiago Motta will return to the bench after being absent due to a ban on accompanying the team. In this match, he is expected to make a massive rotation to maintain the fitness of the players ahead of the important Serie A match against Monza.

Douglas Luiz and Nico Gonzalez, two expensive recruits last summer, will most likely appear from the start after recovering from injury. In addition, names such as Manuel Locatelli, Mattia Perin, and Francisco Conceicao are also likely to enter the starting XI.

On the front lines, Thiago Motta will probably rest Dusan Vlahovic, who has scored 11 goals this season, given no substitutes are available. Arkadiusz Milik is still sidelined due to injury, while Bremer and Juan Cabal's centre-backs are also out of play. Andrea Cambiaso and Jonas Rouhi's condition is still being monitored until before the match.

Meanwhile, Cagliari came with a relatively complete squad. However, they may lose Zito Luvumbo, a talented winger who suffered an ankle injury against Atalanta. With an important match against Venezia waiting for the weekend, Davide Nicola may rotate some players to keep his team in shape.

Juventus have a solid record against Cagliari in all competitions, especially when playing in Turin. In the last five meetings at the Allianz Stadium, Juventus have always won without conceding. However, with their poor performance this season, this match could be a tough test for Thiago Motta and his team.

On the other hand, Cagliari came with the passion to make history. Even though they only reached the Coppa Italia final once in 1969, they showed that they were able to beat the stronger teams in this tournament.

With better individual quality and support from supporters at home, Juventus is predicted to secure a narrow victory to advance to the quarter-finals. However, Cagliari will not just give up and is expected to put up fierce resistance until the last minute.

This match is an important moment for both teams with different goals. Juventus hopes to use the Coppa Italia as a stepping stone to improve their season, while Cagliari wants to make a surprise and continue their journey in this competition.

Will Juventus be able to rise from adversity, or is Cagliari actually making Allianz Stadium silent? All will be answered on Tuesday night.

Estimated Lineup Of Players

Juventus (4-3-3): Perin; Danilo, Kalulu, Gatti, Rouhi; Luiz, Locatelli, Fagioli; Conceicao, Weah, Mbangula.

Cagliari (3-4-1-2): Scuffet; Wieteska, Palomino, Obert; Azzi, Deiola, Marin, Felici; Viola; Lapadula, Pavoletti.